Château de Sancerre has a new owner after Campari sells up

Château de Sancerre in the Loire Valley is to be sold by Gruppo Campari to Loire-based Maison Ackerman for €20.5m, signalling the Italian company’s exit from the still wine business.

The deal with Ackerman, wine division of French agri-business Terrena, includes the Château de Sancerre wines, buildings, vineyards, vinification and production plants, and inventory. It is subject to approval by local authorities.

Château de Sancerre, with 55 hectares of vineyards and sales last year of €3.5m, was founded by Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle, creator of the Grand Marnier orange and Cognac liqueur.

The winery came into Campari’s ownership when the company bought Grand Marnier owner Société des Produits Marnier Lapostolle for €490m last year – a deal which also included Lapostolle wines and pisco in Chile.

Campari, which also acquired Bulldog gin for US$58.4m earlier this year, signalled its intention to exit the still wine business, selling its Sella & Mosca and Terruzzi & Puthod Italian wine interests to distributor Terra Moretti for €62m in November last year.

The company then sold Chile-based Lapostolle to founder Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle for €30m at the end of last year.